Designation device



H. MARTIN I DESIGNATIONDEVICE v Y Filed Augusf 25,l V1924 f Patented Mar. so,A 1926.

UNITED STATES :ATENT OFFICE* HAROLD T MARTIN, o'E EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssrGNoE To WESTERN ELE@ Tmc COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or NEWYORK, N. Y., A conroEATroN or NEW .YORK

DESIGNATION nEvrcE. f

Applieatioa fied August 2a, 1924. seranY No. 733,716.

Z' 0 @ZZ 'whom t muy concern.'

Be it known that L-HABQLD T. MARTIN, citizen of the United States, residing `at East Orange, in the county of Essex,l State of `,New Jersey, have invented lcertain new and useful 'Improvements in `Designation Devices, offwhich the following'is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for designation purposes, and more particularly to designation means for correlatively, associating'the components of one group of apparatus with corresponding or related components of another group. l v l The obiectofv the invention is to furnish .convenient and inexpensive means for aiding an operator inl one telephone exchange to ISSociate ,a particular call circuit key con-V necting'v that exchange to another exchange with the proper group of trunks that Connect` that exchange to the other exchange.

AA feature of this invention resides in the provision Oia designation plate, preferably rhombus in shape, having a hole through which apparatus, such as a call circuit key, may be. passed., Y 1 Y 111. the arrangement nOW usually employed1 each call circuit key has the exchange it conneets with, marked on the l'lat top keyv sur face thereof. Inasinuch as one operators position may have direct or multipled connecting yfacilities with as many as one hun dredf 01j more other exchangesfthere. would be as many call circuit keys at her position,

as the number-- of exchanges she could connectwith. For each call circuit key at an operators position, Vthere is also a correspending group of trunksterminating in jacks at that position, the trunks serving tov connect subscribers toV the saine distant ex changethat the call circuit, key connects with. The trunks each properly marked are Yarranged. 'under panels, each panel being' numbered. Therefore, in order to facilitate operation, it is essential that the operator be aided in associating a particular call circuit key connecting'to a distant exchange Vwith, the proper numbered panelwhich contains the corresponding trunk jacks that connect to the samedistant exchange. At the present time this is accomplished' by .placing overthe entire bank of; call circuit Y, keys'nuinhering as'man-y as one hundredl VVand twenty, a template,`usually othard oiled .whitel ropev paper, bearing the number of each' trunk group panel adjacent to the hole for `the associatedV call circuit key but-` ton. This scheme, however, nis @Xpensive land `entails "loss of time, vfor vi'vheneverfv av change is inadevin the call circuit layout and` a consequent Vreg-rouping vof the keys takes place, a new template Vmust be furnished, and operation delayed at the positionaiiected; until replacement with the new template `is made.

The present invention is designed to avoid this waste and instead tovtui'nish a convengiven anew number. o o y Qtherfeatures. of the invention will more i'eaclilyappear from the, following description in .conjunction with the accompanyingL drawing. vin `which Fig. l shows a `partial view of a banletof` call.circuit-keyssuilicient to illustrate the invention.r Figs. 2 and 3 respectively are detail views ofthe number plate for eachl individual keyand of an end detail used with a row of number plates.

. ,An individualv dez'ignation or number plate, is provided forca-eh key. EachV key y has the4 excharige,,itv` connectsavith, asl X, i 'marked on its tlattop surface. The indivi-dual number plate Ais rhombus in shape, with a hole through which thekey, for example X, passes tho-keep it inv place.- To maintain a pluralityo-f such individua-l number plates in alignment, end strips,2, are secured tothe key tops, 4,'by eci`ews,5. The end strips are designed to Afit theshape ot the adjacent number plate and the edge of the keyftop.'y `Further, to securely maintain in alignment' a` row or a plurality of rows ofnumber plates, so used, and placed side side, metal key spaces, 3, are provided. The metal spaces are placedy lon each side ot"y a row or a plurality oli ,rowsV of number plates, extend the length of the row ofkeys, that is from one edge of vthe key top 6 to the opposite f edge 7, and prevent the number plates 'from moving in a lateral direction. The metal spaces themselves are snugly held between the adjacent lengthwise edge ot the key top, 9, andthe side or' the receptacle which holds the key top, as, for example, the edge or the operators desk into Vwhich the vkey top rests. Prongs 8, are provided to maintain the tops of the spaces andthe tops of the number plates at a uniform level.

The number plate will have stamped thereon a number for example 25, which indicates the number oi' the panel conti-liningl the trunks leading to the exchange, tor example l, served by its associated key/', passing therethrough.

lherefore, it an operator desired a connection with exchange X, she would press key X, noting on the associated number plate that the trunks leading to exchange X could be found at trunk group panel number 25. Upon being assigned a trunk by the responding operator at exchange X, she Would look to panel 25 and plug in at the assigned trunk. would note that trunks leading thereto could be found atpanel 14, etc. f

ln case the needs of service required regrouping o' circuit layout, each individual number plate affected could be removed by merely pulling out the key top which tits in the hole, and placing a numberplate With the desired trunk group panel number, in its stead. `The key top would be reinserted in thehole of the new number plate, and the key would again be ready for service. For example, it in a regrouping, exchange X Weie'to be assigned trunks in panel 14 and exchange Y assigned trunks in panel 25, key tops i and Y Would be pulled out, vthe number plates interehanged, and the key tops reinserted.

lt may be. seen, therefore, thatthe call circuit key but-tons may be vrgiven interchangeably anyr desired trunk group panel number. rlhe number plates are interchangeable, may be used ovf.: and over again, and the keysalfectedeasily renumbered without affecting lthosel Whose trunk assignment remains unchanged.

The number plates l, and end strips 2, may be made ot bakelite, hard rubber, Wood, etc. T he spaces, 3, may be made of metal or other suitable vmateria-l.

lllliile the invention, as herein described, is particularly applicable to the association, by such designation, of call circuit keys with their proper trunk group panels, nevertheless, its use is notso limited. Thus such designation means may be used to associate selection equipment, as selectors or switches, with connecting lamps, keys, etc., or used in vtesting or tabulating systems, requiring association of components in one group ot means with components of another.

It calling exchange Y, sheV trunks and change in the call Lef/8,672

vWhat is claimed is:

l. A designation plate, rhombus in shape, with a character thereon, containing a hole centrally located Ywith respect to the sides thereof.`

2. A designation plate, containing a hole, through which apparatus may be passed, and a number inscribed thereon to designate said apparatus.

13. ln combination, a plurality ot' designation plates, substantially rhoinbus in shape, With a hole vthrough each, through which apparatus may be passed, and end strips for maintaining said plates .in aligninentnvhereby a row of said plates placed adjacent one to the other with an end strip at each extremity ot said row, appears substantially rectangular in shape, and acts as a designation strip for a row ol` apparatus passed through said holes.

l. ln combination, a plurality of designation plates of insulating material in consccutive arrangement, each substantially rhombus in shape, with a ho-e through each, end strips made of substantially the same material at both ends of said plurality of plates, and metal strips kept level with the surface of said plurality of plates and on each si-de thereof, for maintaining arow of said plates in alignment.

5. A designation device, comprising plates,

with a hole in .eac-h, through which apparatus may be passed, an identitication mark on each said plate for designating apparatus passing therethrough, said apparatus in turn serving to keep the plate through Which it passes in position.

6. A designation device comprising a plurality ot identically shaped plates With a holein each through which apparatus may bepassed, an identiticatioi'i mark on each said plate, said apparatus being constructed and arranged to keep said'pla-tes in position.

7. A designation device, comprising a plate, with a character thereon, through Whieh'apparatus may be passed to x the position thereof. i y v 8. A. designation device, comprising a plurality of plates, with' a hole in each through which apparatus'may be passed, an identiiication mark on `each said plate, said plates being interchangeable. i

I9. A designation'device, comprising aplurality ot plates, each rhoinbus in shape, With a hole through which apparatus may be passed, an identification mark on each said plate, said plates being interchangeable. y

l0. A designation device, comprising aplurality ot plates, yWith a vhole in each through Which apparatus may be passed to keep each said plate iii position, an identilication mark on each said plate to designate said apparatus passing therethrough, said platesbeing interchangeable.

ll. ln combination, switching means comprising a hase, asupport mounted on said base, a plurality of sets of Contact springsv mounted von said support, said base having a plurality ofV apertures formed therein lcorresponding in number and position to saidl apertures of said designation plates and 10V said base, said plungers being constructed and arranged to aetuate said Contact springs and to hold said designation plates in posi'- tion..

.In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 1.5'

my name this 21st dayof August A. D., 1924. Y

'Y HAROLD T. MARTIN. 

